Born in 2005: the Rooster
A Yin Wood Rooster 🐓
Roosters are organized, punctual, and honest to the point of bluntness. They notice detail others miss and take pride in doing a job well. As a Wood-element year, 2005 adds a cooperative, growth-minded and quietly generous streak to the usual Rooster character.
The 2005 lunar year ran from February 9, 2005 to January 29, 2006. If you were born on or after February 9, 2005 you are a Rooster; if you were born earlier in 2005, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Monkey.
What the Wood element adds
Wood is the element of spring, growth and cooperation. A Wood year tends to soften an animal's sharper edges and push it toward teamwork, patience and building things that last rather than chasing quick wins.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Wood Rooster year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 2005 was 1945, and the next is 2065. People born in it are said to combine observant and hardworking with the element's cooperative nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yin for every Rooster year. See the Wood element and the full Wood Rooster profile.
2005 at a glance
| Animal | 🐓 Rooster (鸡) |
|---|---|
| Element | Wood |
| Polarity | Yin |
| Best match | Dragon |
| Hardest match | Rabbit |
| Lucky numbers | 5, 7, 8 |
| Lucky colors | gold, brown, yellow |
Rooster compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 2005 Rooster gets on best with the Dragon (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Ox and Snake. The hardest pairing is the Rabbit, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Rooster compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Rooster returns every 12 years, so someone born in 2005 is back in their own zodiac year in 2017, 2029, 2041, 2053 and so on. Tradition calls this your běnmìngnián — despite being "your" year, it is thought to clash with Tài Suì (the God of Age) and to carry a higher chance of setbacks, so many people wear red through it for protection.
Other Rooster years
1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2017 2029 2041
Full Rooster personality profile → Rooster compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 2005?
2005 is the year of the Rooster (Wood Rooster, Yin polarity). Anyone born on or after February 9, 2005 is a Rooster; a birthday earlier in 2005 belongs to the previous sign, the Monkey.
What element is the 2005 zodiac year?
2005 is a Wood-element year. Wood is the element of spring, growth and cooperation. A Wood year tends to soften an animal's sharper edges and push it toward teamwork, patience and building things that last rather than chasing quick wins.
Who is a 2005 Rooster most compatible with?
Best matches are the Dragon (the "secret friend"), plus the Ox and Snake. The hardest match is the Rabbit.
Is 2005 a lucky year to be born in?
Chinese tradition does not rank whole years as lucky or unlucky to be born in — every animal has strengths and weaknesses. The one combination widely treated with caution is the Fire Horse, and 2005 is not a Fire Horse year.